


The Captain's Children

by Sheilaprior



Category: Original Work
Genre: Agender Character, Disabled Character, Doctors, Established Relationship, Minor Character Death, Multi, PTSD, Secret victorian Lesbians, Trauma, Victorian era, a man who is so ahead of his time, lgtbq characters, mention of nudity, or at least partial nudity, previous navy experience
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 13:44:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13296123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheilaprior/pseuds/Sheilaprior
Summary: Rayne Williams has been out of the Queen's Navy for three years now and is blissfully living in his manor with his wife and occasional visits from his brother. When three snow-covered, injured street urchins arrive at his doorstep, his life takes a turn. But is it for the better or the worse? And are these children truly as innocent as they seem?Excerpt: If there was one thing that Rayne Williams would never be, it was a coward. Then why was he hesitating to throw this man down into the icy depths? Perhaps it was that new word. The one that had been in the back of his mind for weeks.





	1. Chapter 1

The day was December 5th, 1879. It was a cold, snowy evening in London. The street lamps were lit and all sorts of folk were bustling around with parcels and presents. Rayne Williams shuffled along the cobblestone streets, his bag full of parcels and his cane tapping along the streets with each step. He sighed as he searched for a cab.   
His top hat gave him little protection from the falling flakes as he glanced up at the crescent moon. He grumbled as the roads became busier than before and he moved himself to the sidewalk, avoiding puddles.

There were a good 3 weeks left before Christmas and he felt rather pleased with himself getting his shopping done ahead of time. He soon spotted an empty cab and made eye contact with the driver. "Asper! Oh thank god you're here, I think my arms may have fallen off if I hadn't caught you." He smiled and hopped up into the cab, gently dropping the bag next to him.

"Evening Sir, always 'appy to see you." The young cabbie replied. Rayne sighed, though he still had a smile on his face.

"How many times have I told you, kid, you can call me Rayne." He grinned, closing the door.

"Sorry sir, a force of 'abbit." Asper replied. Rayne rolled his eyes.

"Very well, I believe you know where to go?" He asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes sir, 924, Giltspur street." Rayne nodded, and Asper smiled. "Well then off we go!" They snapped the reins of the horses, and Rayne gripped the seat, his eyes closing as he felt the carriage sway and bump against the stones.

"Wake me up when we get there if you please." He requested.

"Yes, sir." He heard before drifting off.

 

He awoke with a start, a few beads of sweat dotting his brow, and Asper gently shaking his arm." 'nother nightmare sir?" They asked tentatively. Rayne gently brushed his hand away and pulled out his handkerchief, wiping his forehead.

"It's nothing, not your concern." He said gently. Asper didn't look convinced but decided to leave it alone. Rayne grabbed his cane and limped out of the carriage, ignoring the kid's offer of help. He pulled out the bag and slipped it back into his other hand.

He looked up at his house with a fond smile. The man had bought the manor after he'd been sent home from the navy with an extremely large amount of money. He and his wife, Hiccup, had moved in as soon as possible. He'd soon picked up a job as an inland strategist, thanks to his experience, and he had been able to keep the house-made-home. Hiccup's work as a home business seamstress didn't hurt either. Between the pair of them, they’d hired a small staff and had successfully kept the place for just over 3 years now

He maneuvered around the small bit of ice on the bottom step, and hobbled up to the cherry wood door, immediately seeing their maid waiting for him by the stairs, a rather suspicious smile on her face."Evening Poppy, any particular reason you look so smiley this evening?" He inquired as she came forward, taking off his overcoat. He looked around for their housekeeper, they were usually the one waiting for him.

"You could say that sir." The young girl replied. Rayne's pondering was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a hearty laugh and a soulful giggle. Both were all too familiar. He now understood why Poppy was smiling so brightly.

"If you'll excuse me." He muttered absentmindedly to the girl. He strolled into the drawing room, sighing in contentment at the sight before him. Hiccup and his brother, James, sitting in front of the fireplace, laughing heartily at a story Aleks was telling them.

"Are you serious, right in his lap?" James chortled. Aleks nodded.

"Right in his lap, poor Jem was startled beyond belief." They replied. Hiccup smiled, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Oh I must've been out, I'm sure I would have remembered- Oh! Dear, you're home." She turned around and tried to hold in her giggles at the sight of her husband. Rayne rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what Aleks was speaking of.

A few days ago, one of their cats, Jem, had been up on his desk, right there with a cup of tea. She'd accidentally knocked it over and the tea had fallen into his lap, scalding him and causing him to yell out. So obviously Jem had been startled and had proceeded to run out into the hallway, yowling and alerting Aleks to the situation.

The three of them were trying to hold back their laughter.

"Oh go ahead, it is rather amusing." He chuckled, achingly sitting down in his chair, putting the bag on the table. At the sound of his permission, they burst out laughing once more. Once they'd finally got hold of themselves, Rayne looked at his brother."James, might I ask what you're doing here so early?" He inquired. James sat up straight.

"Well if you must know, brother dear. I've been offered a position as a detective of Scotland Yard," James replied, a smug smile spreading across his face. James had been wanting a position there for years.

As children, they'd argued which was better, sailors or detectives. James would always claim that he’d won the argument, as would Rayne, though neither truly won. Rayne had been ecstatic when their mother had finally allowed him to enlist in the Queen’s navy. But now, Rayne would rather join Hiccup in sewing than going back into the fray.

"Oh James, that's wonderful, about time if you ask me." Hiccup smiled fondly. She and James had gotten along since the day they'd met, an immense relief for Rayne. "So, does this mean you'll be staying with us?" She asked, an excited twinkle in her eye.

"Quite the contrary, I've found a place on Chiswell street." He replied. Hiccup and Rayne's eyes darkened, but they were still happy.

"Well, that's a lovely place." Rayne grinned."I'm sure now it ought to be easier for you to visit. Especially with Christmas coming up." He leaned heavily on his cane and stood; James stood across from his brother.

"That it will," He replied, smiling and sticking out his hand. Rayne clasped it and shook it."I'm sorry to leave so soon, but I have a great deal of unpacking to do. And unfortunately, Payton is still in Bloomsbury, so I'll quite literally be doing the heavy lifting myself." He chuckled. Hiccup stood and hugged him.

"I suppose we'll see you on the 25th, yes?" She smiled and pulled back. James nodded.

"I should hope so." He replied jokingly. Rayne grinned and saw Poppy loitering in the door, still smiling.

"Poppy, would you please show our guest out?" He asked. She jumped a little, startled by the acknowledgment.

"Uh, yes sir, right away sir." She nodded and went to fetch James' coat. The soon to be detective smiled and sauntered back into the front hall, Aleks trailing behind him as they prattled on about lord knows what. Rayne sighed and sank back down in his chair, finally allowing himself to relax. 

He put his leg up on the ottoman and looked up at Hiccup, a smile on his face. He loved his brother, but nothing beat spending some time alone with his wife. They'd been married a good 12 years now. Married at the age of twenty, after leaving their own arranged engagements.

"Soooo.." Hiccup prompted her husband, glancing at the parcels on the table."What have we got here?" She asked, pretending to reach towards them. Rayne only laughed and gently pushed her hand away.

"Patience dear, patience. You know the rules, only surprises-"

"Unless from both of us." She smiled in return."Alright, alright, if you insist." She sat back down."But truly, how were the shops?" She rested her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands.  
The woman was almost always busy sewing away at dresses and tailcoats, she barely had any time to go out. She made every bit of clothing she owned herself, she'd even made her own wedding dress. To that very day, it laid in their attic, in a trunk which all the things from their wedding resided. At least the things they wanted to keep. 

With such a case, most of their friends believed Rayne was the one out and about, but really he only left the house for work. They’d usually send Grace and Poppy out together if they needed something. Since he’d been sent home, Christmas seemed to be the only time he’d go into town by himself. And whenever he did, Hiccup always wanted to hear everything.

The couple prattled on through the night, only standing to feed the fire when a sudden knock startled the pair. Rayne looked at his wife, then back at the entrance to the front hall.

"Poppy?...Aleks? Could you get that please?" He called.

"Um, dear, it might be a bit late for that." Hiccup chuckled as she looked at the clock. Rayne followed her gaze and saw the hands at 12.

"Oh, so it is." He blushed a bit, and the knocking sounded again, more urgent this time."It must be James, lord knows he's forgetful as a goldfish." He reluctantly picked up his cane, stood and limped towards the door."Alright, alright I'm coming." He sighed. He opened the door."You know you really ought...to..." His eyes widened. There, standing in front of him, were two small girls, one with a tiny boy on her back. Both were crying

"Please, please sir we need your 'elp!"


	2. Chapter 2

Rayne stood shocked. His eyes flickered from one girl to the other, and occasionally to the boy. In the back of his mind, he heard Hiccup's approaching footsteps.

"Dear, what's going- Oh my goodness!" She too was startled at the sight of the children, or urchins, as most folks would call them. Their clothes were in tatters and incredibly dirty. Both girls had stuffed their hair under caps, and all three of them were sporting bruises. The small boy on the taller one's back having the most and seemed to be bleeding.

Rayne finally managed to snap out of his stupor and quickly managed to gently pull the boy off the tall girl's back. Since he’d come home he’d almost religiously done arm training, as if making up for the lack of power in his leg. This allowed him to pick up things that weighed almost as much as him, so lifting a child of such a small size came easily to him

"Come in, come in please, quickly now." He managed to utter. Hiccup came behind the girls and helped them inside. She closed the door behind them and ushered them towards the drawing room.

"You poor things, wait right here, I'll get you some blankets." She spoke quickly, a small tremor present in her voice. She passed her husband, and they shared a look of fear. They both shook off their feelings for the moment, and she went to grab blankets, and he went to lay the boy down. He gently put the boy on the couch, keeping his head elevated on the armrest.

"You, uh, you said you needed help, yes?" He asked quietly. The tall one nodded, sitting down next to the smaller girl.

"Mhm, th-this is Molly, I'm Ani, and that there's my little brother, Elliot." Ani looked at her brother and friend, concern plain as day on her face. Rayne painstakingly knelt beside the couch, and the girls came up beside him.

"C-Can you 'elp 'im?" Molly asked of him, her voice meek and wavering. He felt his heart break in two as he saw her eyes well up.

“Yes, yes, of..course.” He quickly nodded and turned back to the injured child. The ex-captain desperately tried to remember the medical training he'd been given in the navy. He gently sat the child up and took his ratty shirt off, along with his tattered newsboy cap. The poor child was covered in bruises, and he had several scratches on his arms and a few on his face. But the worst thing he saw, was a large, deeper cut running along his chest. 

The captain quickly began tearing up the discarded shirt and fashioned the scraps into makeshift bandages. They'd have to do until they could call a proper doctor, as he was fairly certain no doctor would come over at this time of night. He tied the fabric around Elliot's chest and soaked what was left of the shirt in the water pitcher left by Aleks(For the fire), wringing it out before gently placing it under the larger ‘bandage’ and over to the long cut. He gently pressed down on it, cringing as he heard the boy whimper in his sleep.”Shh, sh sh shh, it’s okay, it’s alright.” He muttered absentmindedly. His parents had always said something along those lines when he was hurt or upset, and it always helped. With that, he figured that at the very least, the bleeding would stop, or be staunched.

He turned to the entrance at the sound of footsteps, seeing Hiccup come in with blankets, two nightgowns for Molly and Ani, and one of Rayne's shirts for Elliot. She came over and knelt down as well. She draped the blankets around the girls and put one aside for when her husband was finished. The woman took the girls into the lavatory to put the nightgowns on. They were a bit large on their skinny frames, but they were dry and didn't have holes. 

“Th-Thank you miss.” Ani looked up at her. Hiccup nodded.

“You’re most welcome dear. Come now, you’ve obviously had a long day, you two need some rest.” She replied, leading the girls back out.

“Not till Elliot’s okay,” Molly replied. Hiccup nodded, smiling a little.

“Of course, not until your brother’s okay.” She closed the door behind her, watching the girls run into the drawing room to see Rayne gingerly slipping his shirt onto Elliot. The three of them waited for him to finish patching up the boy’s smaller injuries, and when he did, there was a collective sigh of relief. Hiccup took the third blanket and gently draped it over the boy's torso as her husband laid him back down. She looked over at the girls and saw that they'd fallen asleep in her chair. She smiled a bit at the sight and turned to her husband.

"What now?" She asked tentatively. Rayne pursed his lips in thought.

"Well, I'll call a doctor first thing in the morning, and then, then we'll go from there I suppose." He replied.

"Well, yes, I figured, but what about now? We can't just let them sleep on the floor, but I doubt they'd want to sleep alone in some strange room after God know's what kind of night they had." She responded, looking back at the three children. Rayne pondered this.

"Well, it's been awhile since we slept on the floor, my dear." He replied. Hiccup smiled at that and stood. On the night they moved in, they'd slept together on the floor, cuddling for warmth until their bed could be moved.

They each picked up a girl. Rayne carefully laid Molly on the other sofa, cane in one hand, the child in the other, and Hiccup laid Ani in her chair. After that, the pair of them got their own night clothes on, one staying with the children while the other got dressed, and curled up with each other next to the dying fire.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sir, sir wake up!" Rayne's eyes snapped open to see their gardener, Grace, shaking him awake.

"What, what is it?" He muttered sleepily, slowly sitting up, but being careful not to wake Hiccup. He pushed his hair away from his eyes and frowned as he felt sweat dotting his brow. Another dream. He ignored Grace's temporary look of pity.

He glanced back up at the couches and chair. Just as he had hoped, the children were still there.

"Uh, there are kids I ain’t ever seen before sleepin on your furniture, thought you oughta know." The redhead replied sarcastically.

"Hm? Oh, yes, yes I was aware of that. Would you get Poppy for me? Oh don't give me that look, I know you two share a room." He replied, finally feeling awake. The gardener, as he'd expected, was blushing redder than her hair. He smirked as she scuttled off and turned to Hiccup, who was just starting to wake.

"Was that Grace I heard?" She asked sleepily. Rayne nodded.

"Yes, I sent her to get Poppy. She'll get the doctor and then we'll see what needs to happen." He replied, sitting up and ignoring her offer of help.

"I'll see if Cass is up yet, poor things are probably starving." Hiccup remarked. Rayne nodded.

"Yes, you do that," He nodded, smiled and kissed her forehead before she left for the kitchens. The former captain crawled slowly towards the sofa on which the small boy, Elliot, still lay sleeping. He debated waking the child, to see if he could get some answers, but as it turned out, he didn't have to do anything. Elliot's eyes were fluttering open. Rayne watched as he sat up and observed his surroundings.

When Elliot laid his eyes on the captain, he jumped back and pushed himself up against the sofa, fear in his eyes."Hey, hey, it's alright, it's okay, you're safe, I promise." Rayne slowly held his hands up, showing the boy he was unarmed. Elliot seemed to relax a little, and Rayne lowered his hands."Do you remember what happened?" He asked softly. The child shook his head, gripping the couch cushions tightly.

Rayne watched as he let go of the couch and moved to go to Ani, only stop himself, wincing and groaning in pain."Take it easy, you're rather banged up." The captain warned him, gently easing the boy back into a sitting position. Elliot accepted the help but as soon as Rayne's hands were off him, he pulled his knees up to his chest, wincing as he did so.

"Wh-What 'appened?" He asked, his voice resembling the squeak of a mouse. Rayne gently began explaining the events of the night before.

"-and then we all went to bed I suppose." He finished. By that time, Elliot had put his hands down by his side."Do you think you could tell me how you got those injuries?" He asked tentatively. Elliot quickly shook his head in fear. Rayne raised an eyebrow but decided he'd simply find out later.

"Scuse me, sir." He jumped at the sound of who he assumed was Molly. He turned his head around and saw both girls standing behind him. Ani rushed around him and hugged her brother tightly, but gently. Rayne turned back to Molly.

"Uh, yes?" He blinked, shaking off the surprise.

"Um..uh, th-thank you, very much sir."

”You’re most welcome dear child. You three are welcome to stay as long as you need.” He told them. 

Elliot and Ani looked up at that, and all three urchins’ eyes widened. 

“Are you certain sir?” Ani asked. Rayne nodded.

“I’m certain.” He assured them as he heard oncoming footsteps. Rayne glanced up and saw Hiccup coming in with Cass, their cook, following behind, with two large trays of food. 

“You poor things Here, all of you, take something. Take it all if you wish.” The woman insisted, placing the trays on the table. Molly and Ani looked at each other, then at Elliot, who in turn, looked at them. It took 3 seconds for them to scramble towards the table. Rayne chuckled and looked back up at his wife and Cass.”Master, I think you ought to change into day clothes, Poppy’s already gone out to get Alec. And even as familiar you three are, I think it’d be best to change.” At the elder woman’s comments, he looked down at himself, remembering that he was still in his sleeping attire. Hiccup had changed into a long blue dress with dark green accents. It was one of his favourites.

“I’ll stay with them, dear. You go up and change.” She told him, going to sit with the children. Rayne did as he was told and grasped his cane, slowly limping the stairs. 

As much as he tried to focus on the task at hand, all Rayne could think of was the look of fear that’d been in Elliot’s eyes. That kind of fear should never be present in the eyes of a child. Especially one so young. 

Rayne thought back to all the young boys he’d met when he was in the navy. Some had been no older than 10. He’d seen too many of them go mad, and he was sure he would have suffered the same fate if not for the injury that had brought him home. 

He glanced down at his cane, his eyes hovering on it before returning to the task at hand. He soon found himself dressed, and made his way back down the stairs. 

When he got to the bottom, he was relieved to see that Poppy had returned with Alec Smith, a friend of his who was an up and coming doctor.

“Ah! Rayne, how's it been, my good sir?” Alec asked, taking his overcoat off and hanging it on the coat hanger. Rayne chuckled, shaking his head tiredly.

“Interesting Alec, interesting.” He sighed. Alec raised an eyebrow.

“Would this have anything to do with the fact that you’ve called on me two weeks ahead of schedule?” He asked, a look of concern dusting his face.”Has your leg been giving you more trouble than usual?” He asked, moving towards the man, starting to kneel, but Rayne took a step back, holding his hand up.

“No no, it’s, it’s been fine...You..you see..” He trailed off, trying to think of how to explain the situation. “It’s probably best I simply show you.” He concluded. He then noticed Poppy peeking out from behind the doctor.”Is something wrong Poppy?” He asked. The maid jumped a little, then shook her head. ”Well very well then, off you pop.” Rayne dismissed her. As the girl left, Alec looked to him.

”Have she and Grace been more careful since last time I was here?” He asked, sounding rather amused. Rayne chuckled.

“Well I haven’t caught them since, so I’d say yes.” He replied, leading the doctor into the drawing room.


	4. Chapter 4

Rayne held the door open for the doctor and closed it behind him. Elliot was still sitting on the couch; Hiccup had taken the makeshift bandages off. Ani and Molly were sitting on either side of the boy, almost as if protecting him. Rayne hobbled over to the sofa, and slowly lowered himself next to Hiccup.

"Is everything alright love, you took an awful lot of time getting down here." She teased him. He rolled his eyes.

"Haha, hilarious." He replied before turning to Alec, who looked rather confused, but was making his way over nonetheless.

"Um, you two never told me you had children." He remarked as he brought a stool over, placing it in front of the couch. Hiccup and Rayne immediately blushed.

"What, oh, no, no, we've, um, we tried, but…" Hiccup trailed off. Rayne pursed his lips.

"Um, let's just say that we didn’t find anything under our gooseberry bush." He replied, his eyes shifting to the children. As he did so, he noticed that both girls seemed to be glaring ever so slightly at Alec.

"Ah, yes, I see." Alec nodded. Rayne didn't miss the flash of pity in his friend's eyes."Well, anyway…" He turned to the children, his eyes widening at Elliot's battered state."Oh, oh my." He breathed. “I suppose it’d be best if I started with you two.” He looked at the girls. Molly shook her head and Ani glared at him.

“No!” Molly looked at him. Alec’s eyes widened.”Cl-Clarence said that d-doctors are nuttin but-” 

“Look, I don’t know who this Clarence is, but whatever he said about doctors, I”m not like that, I promise. I just want to help. Is that alright?” He asked tentatively. Ani looked like she was about to protest, but she stopped and looked back at her brother, then her sister. Molly’s anger had deflated, and Elliot squeezed her hand. Ani turned back to Alec and nodded.”Thank you.” He sighed in relief and went about his business. He soon finished examining Ani and did the same to Molly. He made sure to be extremely careful, and check in with them now and again.”Alrighty then, that should be good. Now then,” He turned to Elliot.

Rayne pursed his lips as Elliot pushed himself back into the cushions, his eyes darting from one person to the next, then closing tightly. Alec frowned at that. Rayne could tell this examination, unlike Molly and Ani’s, wouldn't be over soon. He figured the least he could do was make things easier on the child.

"Love, would you mind taking the girls upstairs? Since they’ll be staying with us, I'd say that a bed is a great deal better than a sofa or chair when it comes to sleeping." He turned to Hiccup. She seemed to pick up what he was trying to say.

"Uh, yes, absolutely. We'll be back soon." She nodded and stood. The girls reluctantly followed her, but not before hugging Elliot tightly and giving Alec a good hard glare.

The boy relaxed a bit after they left, but he was still curled up tightly. Rayne ever so slowly got up and sat down next to him, trying not to hiss in pain.

"Elliot, Elliot I need you to relax for me, can you do that?" He asked gently. The shivering boy looked up at him, then down at the hand resting on the sofa. In an instant, Elliot was clutching his hand like a lifeline, and Rayne had seen how people clung to lifelines. He was shivering less now but still looked frightened. Alec also relaxed at this.

"Okay, Elliot, was it?" The doctor asked kindly. Elliot nodded timidly in response. "Alright then, I'm just going to check a few things, see what I need to do, is that alright with you?" He asked once more. Rayne could see Elliot's hesitation.

"I'll be right here, if something hurts, or you want him to stop, just….squeeze my hand, okay?" He tried to speak softly to the boy. Elliot pursed his lips, then nodded, leaning slightly into the former Captain. Alec smiled and brought up his medical bag, bringing out his stethoscope.

And so, the doctor did his work, and Rayne made sure that Elliot was alright. However, when it came time to take a look at the cut, Rayne was, unfortunately, not surprised, to see that Elliot had started shaking again. He felt the boy's grip get extremely tight, and tried not to shout out at the amount of pain it brought."Okay, okay, it's alright, it's okay." He assured the boy, holding his breath while he did. Elliot seemed to understand what he was doing and loosened his grip. Rayne let out his air, before looking to Alec, who was somehow looking concerned and amused. The two men soon lost their feelings of pain, or amusement, and focused on the matter at hand.

Rayne already knew that Elliot's chest needed to be looked at and that it was by far the worst of his condition, at least that he knew of. He resisted shuddering at that thought. Trying to relieve himself of that horrible idea, he turned to the child."Elliot, I know this isn't something you want to do, but, if it was so bad that your sisters had to bring you here, do you think it's bad enough that you could at the very least let him take a look at them?" He was sure he could see him consider it, then weigh it in his mind; he could practically see the scales. After what felt like an eternity, the boy nodded, gulping and going remove the borrowed shirt. Not wanting the boy to hurt himself, Rayne helped the process along. When Alec saw how bad the cut was, his cheeks lost a little colour.

"Oh dear. It's a good thing you called me, Rayne." The doctor scooted closer, putting his stethoscope away, and bringing out a box of proper bandages. "Elliot, might I ask what happened? Nothing leaves this room, I promise, you don't need to tell anyone else after this." Alec prompted the boy, trying not to appear intimidating. Elliot bit his lip, then nodded. Rayne could tell he wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"Well, well ya see, th-there was…... a really b-bad man, B-Bill, an 'e w-was chasin after the th-three of us, a-an we 'it a .. a, a dead end, an e was oldin a knife, an, an e-" He cut himself off as he started to panic. Rayne frowned and gently clasped his hand once more.

"Hey, hey, it's alright, I've got you." He gently pulled the boy into his arms."It's okay." Rayne stroked the boy's bare back, trying to comfort him. The boy was stiff at first, clearly not used to being enveloped by someone of such a large size, but eventually, he felt Elliot calm down, and the child wriggled out of his arms. Alec was thankfully being extremely patient with his patient. "Alright, why don't you tell me what happened after, then I can tell. Does that sound alright?" He asked gently. Elliot took a few seconds to consider the offer, then nodded. "Alright then," Rayne replied.

With that, Alec resumed his work. He cleaned out the cuts and re-wrapped them, scolding Rayne when he learned of the shirt-bandages.("They're so unsanitary!") After that, he went about finishing the standard process. When the doctor had finally finished up, Rayne helped Elliot with getting the shirt back on. Rayne turned to his friend."Um, Alec, if you wouldn't mind-"

"Of course. I'll be just out the door." He nodded, picking up his bag and going towards the door. It closed. And then, it was just Rayne and Elliot.

"So, do you think you could tell me now?"


	5. Chapter 5

Elliot ran along with his sisters, panting heavily as the footsteps behind them got louder and louder. BAM! BAM! BAM! It felt like a giant was chasing them. They’d been running for hours now, he was sure of it. He could still hear the screaming and splashing. He’d only meant to push Gordon back, not in, never in. And yet, here they were, because of his stupid aim. Why wasn’t Clarence there? He was supposed to meet them there. And now Bill was chasing them, and his sisters were fearing for their lives because of him. Clarence wasn’t going to be coming, so for now, unfortunately, they just needed to Run.

“In ‘ere!” He heard Molly yell. He turned his head towards the girl, seeing her pointing to an alley. He followed his sisters into the alley, his face whitening when he saw that they’d pulled into a dead end. 

“Aha! Finally caught you, ya little buggers!” The man brandished his knife, his yellow teeth bared in a creepy smile. “This’ll be the last time anybody suffers because of you three!” He yelled out, going to bring his knife down on Ani. Elliot’s eyes widened and he ran into the stomach of the man, pushing him far away enough from Ani, but not far enough from himself. He felt the knife slice up and down his body, his attacker wildly swinging the knife about. Bill. He’d been a menace on Clarence for years. Tonight they were supposed to negotiate a truce, see if they could get him to leave them alone, but it was an ambush. 

Elliot’s thoughts were cut short as the man slashed the knife across the boy’s chest.”Aha!, got you, you little swine!!” Bill crowed. Elliot’s thoughts were starting to become a little less consistent, and the shouts of his sisters became muffled. He felt a great pain in his side, a repeating pain. Blunt, but sharp. As if the man were kicking him with pointed metal boots. “And don’t ever come back!”

“Elliot! Elliot, Stoppit, stay with us!”

“Elli wake up! We have to-” His sisters’ pleads were the last thing he heard before the world went black.


	6. Chapter 6

Rayne sighed as the boy finished this story. “But why was he chasing you?” He asked cautiously. Elliot looked down and shook his head, clearly too overwhelmed to talk about it more.”Alright, I understand, a topic for another day.” He nodded and reached for his cane.”Do you want to go upstairs and find the girls?” Elliot nodded this time as Rayne stood.”Alrighty then.” The man held out his hand for the child, who nearly instantly took it. 

Rayne walked him to the door and opened it to Alec and Hiccup chatting as the girls sat on the stairs.

“Elli!” Ani cried, and rushed towards the pair, Molly not too far behind. Rayne gingerly let go of Elliot’s hand as the girls hugged their brother. He didn’t miss the boy wince but chose to ignore it for now. He hobbled over to Hiccup and Alec.

“So then, what’s the damage?” Rayne asked. Alec winced at the captain’s bluntness.

“Well, all three of them are extremely malnourished, but I’m sure you already figured that out. The girls are fine for the most part, a couple scratches most likely from whatever gave the boy his wounds, again, you probably figured that part out-”

“Alec, I truly don’t mean to be rude, but what’s the point in telling me what you know I already know?” Rayne interrupted him, leaning on his good leg. The doctor hesitated, not making eye contact.”There’s something you don’t want to tell me, isn’t there?” Rayne prompted him.

“Alright, alright, yes...the boy has bruised ribs, that much is certain, and if it weren’t for you calling me, that big cut, the one on his chest, it would most definitely have gotten infected. In fact, I’m not entirely sure if it wasn’t already or not. “ He sighed and told them. Hiccup bit her lip.

“And what about the girls?” She asked hesitantly. Alec relaxed at that question.

“Oh, the girls! Well, aside from what I already told you, and a couple scratches here and there, and about as many bruises as the boy, they should be fine.” He nodded, closing his bag. “If something arises, let me know.” He looked at the couple. And with that, the man thanked Poppy as she slipped the coat on, put on his hat, and was on his merry way.

The couple looked at each other, then back at the children, who had been for the past while, talking with each other. 

“But whaddabout Clarence?”

“Do you think they’d ‘onestly let us stay ‘ere?”

“B-Bill ain’t gonna come b-b-ba.. ‘E ain't gonna find us, is ‘e?”

“No, no ‘course not.”

“Ani’s right, an, an if ‘e does, we’ll protect ya this time.” Molly seemed to quiet their conversation as she hugged them both. Rayne and Hiccup went over to them, and with his wife’s help, they both managed to sit down with the children. He gently tapped Molly. She jumped, as did the others, but she turned around. Rayne lowered his hand and looked to Hiccup. She was always better at this sort of thing.

“Alright then. What shall we do now?” She asked them. The three of them looked at each other.

“Well, we.. we probably oughta thank you. S-Since you ‘elped us, a-an Elliot.” Ani pointed out. Molly nodded in agreement, and Elliot hung back a little, clinging to his sister’s borrowed nightgown.”So..thank you.” She concluded her thought. Hiccup smiled.

“It’s no problem at all dear. We just did what any decent person would have.” She insisted. Rayne smiled at that. That was one of the things that made him love Hiccup so much. She did extraordinary things without thinking twice. And she had so much faith in people, thinking that they would do the same. It was one of her best qualities.

“Well then. I’m sure the lot of you are probably still hungry, eh?” He smiled, their growling stomachs giving him the answer. He chuckled at that.”I’ll take that as a yes.” He stood with a little help from Hiccup, and they lead the children down to the kitchens. Well, Hiccup started to. Rayne hung back a little. 

He searched around for Poppy. The man hobbled down another hallway and opened a closet. He saw the two girls snogging inside said closet.”Grace, Poppy, if you please, out.” He asked and stood back, leaving room for them to get out. “Alright. Grace, I want you to brush off the front steps and the patio in the back. Poppy, if anyone comes to the door you believe is unimportant, tell them I’ll get back to them later…….And for god’s sake, please put some trousers on, Grace.” He turned around and went back towards the kitchens.


	7. Chapter 7

The ship’s sails billowed about in the great gusts of wind. Rayne only barely kept his coat on.   
“Three behind captain!!”

“Two more one either side sir!!”

“Fire the cannons, they can’t tail us forever!!” 

Crashing waves pushed the boat back and forth. Some of the younger ones vomited over the side.

“READY! AIM!! FIRE!!!

“NO!”

 

Rayne woke up screaming, drenched in sweat. He panted heavily as he looked over at Hiccup. She was still sleeping soundly, thankfully. He sat up gently and swung one leg over the side of the bed. He grabbed his wretched leg and pulled it next to his good one. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, pushing back his bangs as he tried to calm himself. The man felt his way around for his cane in the dark, finding it shortly after. He painstakingly stood, put on his dressing gown, and found a candle, lighting it before heading out of the room; ever so quietly closing the door behind him.

He slowly made his way from their room to his study. He sat down and put his cane down next to the chair, trying, if only for a moment, to forget about it and his leg.Only he ever spent time in the study. Hiccup knew it was his place and his only. We went when he needed some alone time. And in this alone time, he’d draw. Drawing kept his mind off things. He’d simply take something else from his mind, or in front of him, and draw it. As such, there were many drawings of Hiccup. But tonight, he felt a different desire for a piece of art. The man quickly pulled out a large piece of parchment and snatched his charcoal. He began to sketch three faces.

It had been over an hour before he felt someone pull on his sleeve. He turned around, expecting to see Hiccup, but instead saw a small, blonde girl standing next to the chair, watching him work.”Ani, isn’t it?” He checked to make sure. She nodded and continued to hold onto his dressing gown sleeve.”Is something wrong?” He asked, noticing her timid expression. She pursed her lips and nodded.

“I..I ‘ad a bad dream.” She confessed, looking rather ashamed of the fact. Rayne smiled a small bit, even if somewhat sadly. He gently pried her hand from his sleeve, pushed his chair out, and picked her up, placing her on his lap.  
“Did you now? So, then, why would you come to me?” He asked, genuinely curious.  
”Th-this room was the only one wit’ any lights on.” She replied. He nodded, seeing her logic.

“You were worried about waking someone, and if the light is on-”

“Then somebody’s already awake.” She nodded, finishing his sentence. He smiled.

“Smart girl.” He shifted a small bit in his chair.”Do you want to know something?” He asked her, leaning in as if sharing forbidden knowledge. She nodded, her eyes widening beneath her grimy spectacles. “Even grownups have bad dreams.” He whispered, holding her close to him.”There isn’t anything wrong with having bad dreams if even the most grown-up grownups have them, eh?” He prompted her. She considered this, then nodded.

“I-I guess not,” Ani replied. Rayne smiled and ruffled her short blonde hair.

“Alright then. So, what was your dream about?” He asked. She immediately launched into a story of thieves and dogs chasing her and her siblings. He listened intently as she went on. She was still a little shaken when she finished. He pursed his lips in thought, trying to think of what might help. He looked around and saw one of his piles of drawings, and one of his wife peeked out from the middle. He smiled and looked at Ani, holding her close once more.”Do you want to hear something funny about Hiccup?” He asked. She nodded right away.”WEll you see, her parents, I love them dearly, but they were a bit too imaginative for their own good and decided whatever her first word would be, would be her name. But for the longest time, the only thing that came close to talking for her was hiccuping, and so, they actually went and named her Hiccup.” He grinned, chuckling at the memory of when she told him. Ani smiled and giggled at the story. 

“That’s funny.” She smiled, yawning and starting to let her guard down more. Rayne looked at the clock and saw it was nearly 3 in the morning. 

“Alright Ani, off to bed now, you mind holding the candle for me?” He asked, leaning to the side to pick up his cane. She nodded sleepily and tried to shake herself awake, taking the candle off the desk. With that, he stood up slowly, going out the door, and letting her hold the candle out as he carried her down the hall and into the room she’d been sharing with her siblings. He let her down and she put the candle on the night table. Hesitantly, she hugged his hips before hopping back into bed and cuddling up with her siblings. Rayne felt his heart seem to warm up and smiled, taking the candle with him as he closed the door quietly once more.

The man was bone dry now, and his heart rate had slowed considerably. He limped down the hallway and into his own room, seeing Hiccup sleepily sitting up.

“Love what’s wrong, why are you up?” She asked, rubbing her eyes and pushing her hair out of her face. Rayne sat down on the bed, looking at her.

“Just, had another one. Went to do some drawing. Turns out Ani had one too, she came to see me.” He chuckled. Hiccup smiled at that, almost sadly though. Rayne noticed.”What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s just, I haven’t seen you this calm after one for so long...those children are good for you.” She yawned and laid back down. Her husband chuckled and rested his cane against the night table, blowing out the candle and bringing his legs up one at a time onto the bed.  
“You think so?” He asked, settling down, looking at her. She smiled sleepily and nodded.

“Yes. We may need to..” She fell asleep before she could finish. Rayne smiled and kissed her forehead before closing his own eyes, and letting himself fall into a dreamless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Elliot and his sisters wandered about the house. Rayne had suggested they explore the house, and the three of them had jumped at the chance. Molly now led the way, poking her head into every room with an open door. So far they’d found three empty bedrooms, a lavatory with a bathtub and two large mirrors, four different locked doors, two closets(one containing different kinds of cloth, hankies, and blankets; one with all sorts of tools that they were unsure of the uses for) and one room specifically for houseplants. They’d decided not to ask. 

After exploring the top floor(And looping a couple times round to make sure they hadn’t missed anything), they went down the ground floor, immediately running into Poppy. Or rather, she ran into the three of them, literally. The four of them toppled to the ground.

“Oh dear, I’m so sorry ma- Oh, hello you lot.” She smiled at the sight of the children, and not her boss. The curly haired maid quickly helped them up.”And what are you three up to?” She asked, crouching down to be at their eye level.

“We’ve been explorin!’ Molly replied cheerfully. Molly liked Poppy. She thought the girl was extremely pretty, and the 8-year-old thought that other than hiccup’s dresses she’d seen so far, Poppy’s hazel brown eyes were the prettiest things she’d ever seen.

“Exploring? Really? Well, that sounds fun! What have you seen so far?” She asked. Ani immediately listed off the things they’d found with a great deal of pride that was probably needed for such a list. “Well, those are great finds indeed.” She replied, smiling. “You know, I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.” She stuck out her hand, which was calloused and small.”Hello there, my name’s Poppy.” She giggled. Molly was the first to shake the hand. Clarence had always told them to shake a hand if it was offered. 

“I’m Molly!” She replied enthusiastically. Poppy smiled at her eagerness.”An’ that’s Ani, she’s my big sister! An’ that’s Elliot!” The brunette pointed out her siblings enthusiastically. Poppy nodded along with her and looked back at the other two. Elliot was hiding behind his older sister, looking up at Poppy, but not daring to step closer. Ani was holding his hand loosely, focused intently on the maid. 

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you. Now, would you three like to come exploring with me? I think it’d be a might easier to explore with a guide.” She stood up, extending her hand once more. Once again, Molly took it and extended hers to Ani, who took that hand and gripped Elliot’s tighter. 

Together, the four of them made it through and around the house. Elliot liked the kitchen and how nice it smelled. Molly liked the dormant garden, a multitude of sticks driven into the earth. Ani thoroughly enjoyed the large windows in the even larger ballroom. And Poppy loved the way that everything seemed to amaze the children.

“It’s so beautiful!” Ani exclaimed as she ran around the ballroom, staring into the floor at her reflection. Poppy shone with pride.

“Well thank you, Grace an’ I work real hard to keep it that way.” She replied. Elliot tugged on her skirt at that.

“Who’s Grace?” He asked shyly. Suddenly, a woman with flaming red hair and wearing a pair of dungarees over a dirty white shirt walked in, her cheeks still rosy from shoveling the snow that had fallen the night before.

“Did I hear my name?” She asked, grinning broadly before kissing Poppy on the cheek. The three children blinked with blank looks on their faces. Poppy turned to them.

“Um, kids, this is Grace, she’s the gardener most of the time.” She said, blushing a little. Molly looked at the pair of them, then gasped.

“You loove ‘er!!” She exclaimed. Elliot made a face of disgust at that.

“Eww, Kissin's gross!” He boldly declared. Ani only rolled her eyes.

“Sorry bout those two, they ain’t seen much romance.” She shrugged and went to her siblings. The two girls were only laughing slightly at the scene.  
“What’s all the noise about?” They heard Rayne hobble into the ballroom. Molly ran up to him.

“We was explorin, we was! Poppy an grace were showin’ us the ballroom!” She explained, trying to pull him forward. Thankfully, she wasn’t quite that strong, so Rayne didn’t have to worry about falling over. The man chuckled and looked around at the spacious room.

“Were they now?” He smiled, looking at the two girls. “Well, it’s been awhile since I've been in here.” He mused. “So kids, what do you think of it?” He asked jokingly. Ani’s eyes instantly lit up.

“It’s huuuuge! And it’s real pretty it is! An’ you can see your ref..refleck... Reflection! You can see yer face in it!!” She started jumping about. Molly nodded along as her sister babbled on, and Elliot just had a small smile on his face as he continued to peer around the room. Poppy and Grace giggled at the sight. The gardener went up to her boss.

“You’re planning something, sir, aren’t you?” She smirked. Rayne rolled his eyes.

“I could be, still thinking about it. Now, you two, get back to work, and I’d better not find you in the linen closet again, or at the very least, choose a different one.” He smirked back, said smirk only widening as both girls scuttled off, their faces scarlet. 

The captain looked back towards the children and limped over to the three of them. “So, I’d assume you three are quite tired out by now?” He asked, his eyebrow raised. The three siblings looked at him, then to each other, back at him, and simultaneously shook their heads. Rayne bellowed with laughter, and soon the children, even Elliot, joined in. After a few minutes of laughter, Rayne calmed down, and calmed the kids down, and straightened up.”Well then, why don’t we go get something to eat, I believe Cass was mentioning something about a Yorkshire pudding.” He gently grasped Elliot’s hand, and the boy latched onto Ani’s hand, who took Molly’s hand, and the four of them made their way off towards the kitchen, the thought of the ballroom lingering in Rayne’s mind.


	9. Chapter 9

That night, Rayne sat by himself in the drawing room. The children had long since gone to bed, and the staff had retired for the night. Hiccup was working on her latest creation. Not something for a business but for the children. She’d said something about ‘no children living in this house will wear something so utterly thin and cold.’ Rayne had found it slightly amusing, though he did agree with her. 

But now, his mind ran a bit wild as he stared into the crackling fireplace, every so often glancing out at the dimly lit lane that led back onto the roads. It was a clear night, no snow at the moment, though he was sure it’d resume in the morning. The Ballroom still sat in his mind, like a paperweight on the edge of a new drawing. The last time before today that he’d been in that ballroom was the party James had thrown for him. Without asking either he or Hiccup. And that had been three years ago.

It was meant to be a celebration, at least according to James. Rayne had only been home for a week; he’d barely eaten, spoke very little, and stayed in his study most days. But that night Poppy had dragged him down to the ballroom, and he’d been terrified to see his brother amongst his few friend’s, and James’ many friends. It had taken nearly all willpower to not blow up at his brother at the time. All he’d done was give a few fake smiles and head back upstairs with Hiccup, the only person he’d wanted to be with at that moment. The next week, after having adjusted slightly more to civilian life again, he’d talked about the matter with James. Though the word 'talk' was used in an extremely broad sense. James had avoided coming by the manor for a month. And when he finally came around, he’d acting so abashedly and timid that Rayne had outright laughed, and thankfully the two of them had reconciled.

“Well don’t you look pleased with yourself.” He looked up as Hiccup sat down in her chair, her hair let down and draping over her shoulders. Rayne chuckled.

“What makes you say that?” He asked, relaxing slightly as he gently pushed back his cane with his good foot. Now that they were both sitting, he knew they wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon.

Hiccup smiled in response.”You’ve got that silly grin on your face again, you know, the one that makes you look-”

“Like I’m an author with a devious plot, yes I remember now.” He smiled. She hadn’t mentioned that since before he’d left for...well, work.

“Yes, and I’d like very much to know why.” She replied, leaning forward and putting her chin in her hands. 

Rayne thought about it for a moment. Why did he feel so pleased? It certainly wasn’t the memory of that godawful party from three years ago, and while being with Hiccup always made him happy, he had a feeling that wasn’t it either. The only thing that came to mind was the vision of the ballroom, filled with people, and the three children running about without a care in the world. With that vision, an idea came to his mind.

“What if we had a ball?” He looked at her. She seemed utterly shocked at this.

“What?” She asked though it sounded more like a gasp than a question.

“I mean it, why not? A Christmas ball! We have a ballroom, we have more friends now! We have….” He trailed off, a little startled by the thought that had been about to come out of his mouth.

“We have what dear?” His wife asked, shuffling forward a little. 

Rayne pursed his lips, then looked at her.”Love….we have children in this house...We never expected to ever have children here and now look! You’re making children’s clothes, Alec isn’t only coming for me anymore, I let a child into my study because I thought she’d be frightened if I didn’t.” He exclaimed, a little shocked at what was coming out of his mouth.

“Love, are you suggesting what I think you are?” Hiccup asked cautiously.”We don’t know if they have any parents, and they keep going on about this Clarence fellow, what if he’s their, father, or brother or something?” She replied.”We can’t just up and take them in as our own. Believe you me, I would immediately if we could, but we need to be at least a little sensitive about this.” She told him, gently slipping her hand into his. 

Rayne puzzled for a few minutes over her words and his own then looked up at her.”Then, then we shall ask the children what they’d like to do if they if they have anybody waiting for them. And that way, they may decide.” He nodded, satisfied with the solution he’d come up with, and it seemed Hiccup was as well.

“There’s my smart man.” She gently pecked him.”Alright now, it’s dreadfully late. We ought to be heading to bed.” She stood and helped him up, grabbing his cane and holding it out for him. 

He folded his hand around the top and kept his other arm intertwined with Hiccup’s.”You’re truly amazing, you know.”

“That I do.” She smiled lovingly.”You wouldn’t have married me otherwise.” She began to walk out of the room, sure that the low fire would become embers soon.

“I wouldn’t have met you otherwise…” He chuckled.”We both ran away from our own marriages, can you believe how many people that shocked?” He reminisced.

She nodded.”We didn’t have a moment’s peace until after the wedding.”

Rayne thought of his situation.”An amazing spouse, and children. Isn’t that what some are calling The Dream life?”

Hiccup put her head on his shoulder as they made their way up the stairs.”If it is a dream, I don’t ever want to wake up.”

 

The next morning, The pair of them sat in the parlour with the children. They sat on the floor, together, so they might not seem imposing with what they were afraid would come off as an interrogation. The kids seemed a little suspicious as to the strange meeting of sorts, and the younger two pressed up against the older one. Rayne smiled at the sight.

“Um, Ani, Molly, Elliot, we’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.” He looked at them.”Do...Do you have..” He found he couldn’t continue his sentence.   
Hiccup, thankfully, seemed to understand. She turned to them, grasping Rayne’s hand firmly. ”We’d like to know if you have anybody, well, waiting for you?” She prompted them. They seemed confused.”What I mean by that is, do you three have any family that might be awaiting your return?” She asked once more. 

Ani pursed her lips and shook her head. Molly looked solemnly at the ground. Elliot looked at his sisters.”But..but whaddabout Clarence? Ain’t ‘e family?” He asked. 

Molly looked at her brother.”We’re just ‘elpers Elli, ‘e can get plenty more.” She replied. His shoulders sagged at that and the 6-year-old leaned into Ani’s shoulder. The girl in question looked suspiciously at Rayne and Hiccup.

“Why?” She asked bluntly, her eyes narrowed.

Hiccup was slightly taken aback.”I-I beg your pardon?” 

“Why’re you askin?” Ani asked, then her eyes widened. She stood up, her siblings doing the same and clinging to her again.”A-Are you wantin ta be rid of us? We can go, really, we-” 

“No no no no no dear, we’re not asking you to leave.” Hiccup gently put her free hand on the girl’s arm, easing her and her small family back down.”Quite the contrary really.” She continued. At that, they looked confused once more. Hiccup looked to her husband.

Rayne sat up a little and looked at them.”We, that is Hiccup and I...we’d like it very much... if you three would consider staying with us.” 

The three of them looked at each other, then back at the couple.”For...for ‘ow long?” Molly asked. The couple smiled at that.

“Well, we were thinking...indefinitely.” Hiccup supplied. “So, it’s truly up to you, but would you three be interested in being a part of a family……. Of our family?”

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment/share/and like!  
> Rayne is very accepting of his gardener and his maid banging in a large linen closet and other places, okay, so don't talk to me about historical accuracy, this is my story, my rules.  
> Updates are in no way on a schedule.  
> You know what, don't talk to me about historical inaccuracies in general. Please and thank you,   
> I love hearing opinions about my story, don't get me wrong, but please don't tell me if there's something like a name that you're cringing at, cause honestly that just hurts my feelings.


End file.
